The present invention relates generally to flooring protection and, more particularly, to a self-cleaning flooring system having modules which are interconnectable to horizontally adjacent modules to form a continuous flooring system for catching waste products in a food preparation facility.
In the food preparation industry, sanitation and cleanliness is a major concern. The kitchen flooring in restaurants, hotels, institutions, and commercial food vending facilities in general is subject to frequent spillage from waste products. Such waste products may be in the form of spilled liquids, semi-solids, and small solids and may include grease, oil, water, and an infinite variety of food products. Spilled waste products may create a sanitation hazard as a hot kitchen is a natural breeding ground for harmful bacteria that may be caught in tile grout, and around pipes, drains or other kitchen fixtures. Because of the immovable nature of such kitchen fixtures, cleanliness is difficult if not impossible to maintain. Stringent health codes in most states require that kitchens in commercial food vending facilities receive daily cleaning. Daily cleaning of walls, counter tops, appliances and floors involves a great deal of hand labor consuming a considerable amount of time. In addition, the waste products may create a health hazard in that spilled food products are often wet or sticky, creating a high risk that kitchen personnel may be injured in a fall. Furthermore, spilled grease or oil creates a fire safety hazard requiring the cessation of all operations in the kitchen until the grease or oil is removed from the floor. As may be expected, shutting down all kitchen operations in a restaurant or hotel may result in a significant loss of revenue.
There is currently known in the prior art flooring systems that are configured to address sanitation and safety concerns. One prior art device comprises a washable floor for collecting waste. The device provides a grid or mesh on which a person may stand, the grid mounted above a sub-floor onto which waste falls. The sub-floor is downward sloping towards a drain outlet. Flushing means are provided for flushing the fluid waste down the sub-floor towards the drain outlet. The grid is pivotably movable between a horizontal position and a vertical position and is removable to facilitate maintenance. Although the device addresses a few safety and sanitation issues mentioned above in that it provides a disposal means for fluid waste, the device lacks installation flexibility in that it must be custom fitted to a particular floor configuration. In addition, the size of the grids and sub-floor are such that these components are too heavy and too large to be individually washed, either by hand or by mechanical means, such as in a commercial dishwasher.
Another prior art device provides a supporting surface for personnel standing thereupon. The device allows water or fluid to flow through the supporting surface and underneath a modular flooring member. The device includes a series of cross-channels forming a gridwork of fluid pads which permit water to flow underneath the modular flooring. However, a major drawback to the device is that a large portion of the subsurface of the flooring member is in direct contact with the moist support floor. Although this device addresses some safety concerns in that it provides a non-slip surface upon which personnel may stand, the device is subject to the problems of mildew and degradation of the subfloor arising from captured water. Furthermore, the device is not configured to be easily washable by hand or by mechanical means.
As can be seen, there exists a need in the art for a flooring system for catching waste products that also provides a non-slip surface upon which personnel may stand to reduce the risk of injury from slipping. Furthermore, there exists a need in the art for a flooring system that is self-cleaning in that waste products may be flushed toward a drain outlet for subsequent disposal. Additionally, there exists a need in the art for a flooring system that is light weight and of small size such that it is removable for easy cleaning by hand or within a commercial dishwasher. Finally, there exists a need in the art for a flooring system that is modular such that individual modules may be interconnected to cover a desired area such as a cooking line in a commercial kitchen.